Tag: McKeesport
CTK 2015 – Class AAAA Foothills Conference Preview
August 19, 2015
The Foothills Conference hasn’t had a repeat champion since Gateway in 2008-09. The trend may end this season. The Foothills is alive with Warriors. The Penn-Trafford Warriors. Coach John Ruane’s team made it to the WPIAL semifinals last year and many are pointing to the Warriors as the favorite to win their second consecutive conference title. Penn-Trafford has experience, skill and some size. McKeesport looks like Penn-Trafford’s top competitor. Plum’s program could continue to move upward under fourth-year coach Matt Morgan. The Mustangs have some key players back from last year’s team that finished 6-5 and won a playoff game. After Penn-Trafford, McKeesport and Plum, things look pretty open in the Foothills. Here’s a look at the teams in the conference:
CTK 2015 – MSA Sports Preseason ELITE ELEVEN
August 16, 2015
The Pittsburgh Central Catholic football team is being touted as one of the top 25 teams in the country in some national polls. The strength of the Vikings can be seen on this year’s MSA Sports Elite 11 team. Central Catholic has two players on this year’s preseason Elite 11 – Damar Hamlin and David Adams. Central Catholic is the only team with two players on the Elite 11. The team is made up of the top 11 players in the WPIAL, regardless of position, and is picked by the MSA Sports staff. Hamlin, a senior, and Adams, a junior, are both being recruited heavily by major colleges. But Central Catholic has a handful of other players with scholarship offers from Division I-A colleges.Chicks Picks – Week Twelve – 2014
November 13, 2014
Welcome to Week 12 of the high school football season. It has been a long journey down the Highway to Heinz this season. Approaching the last exit on the distinguished roadway, Chick’s Picks thought it would be an appropriate time for the entire MSA Sports crew to stop for a bite to eat. Leading the way, Chick’s Picks chose her favorite downtown restaurant. As the crew gathered in the lobby, the host approached—and was astonished when he saw who was in the party. “Why, Ms. Picks, it is an honor to host you and your friends in our establishment,” he said as he led the crew to their table. As the host distributed menus to each person, he noted, “Please take a close look at our weekly specials.”WPIAL Friday Night HighLights for 11/7
November 8, 2014
Gone but not forgotten from the WPIAL football championship chase on the second exit on the Highway to Heinz: Two Vikings, Two Rams (one that was Golden)...several members of the cat family including as pair of Panthers, a Tiger, a Mountain Lion and a Wildcat...a few birds such as an Eagle and a Jayhawk...a Wolverine, a Mustang, a Talbot, a Little Indian and a Planet. Some were awaken from their golden dreams but players listed below, whose ride on the Highway to Heinz will continue for another week toward the hard to reach town of Final Foursville. Ben DiNucci - Pine-RichlandScholastic Notebook – 11/07/2014
November 7, 2014
If the first round of the WPIAL playoffs proved anything, it was that the Foothills are alive. Since coming back to being a WPIAL conference in 2006, the Foothills was always thought to be the weaker sister to all of the other Class AAAA conferences. Sure, it might have had a strong team like a Gateway, Penn-Trafford or even Central Catholic. But as far as strength from top to bottom, the Foothills didn’t measure up. This year, though, the Foothills flexed some muscle like never before. Four Foothills teams won first-round games – Penn-Trafford, McKeesport, Altoona and Plum. It was the first time since 2006 that the top four teams in the Foothills won first-round games. The two that lost were fifth-place Norwin and sixth-place Connellsville.Chicks Picks – Week Seven – 2014
October 9, 2014
Welcome to Week 7 of the high school football season. Part of being a successful high school football prognosticator is always knowing what your competition is up to. While studying season statistics of those very rivals, Chick’s Picks noticed a few thing that were rather bothersome. She decided to schedule a meeting with The Boss to air her frustrations. “Boss, I want to start off by saying that I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me over the last 15 years. But, this week, I noticed that my biggest rivals are spreading their wings, so to speak,” Chick’s Picks said. The Boss replied, without looking up from his classic hunt and peck typing technique, “Chick’s, what is it that you want now?”WPIAL Big Game Hunting – Week Seven 2014
October 8, 2014
The final third of the regular season gets underway Friday night here on the MSA Sports Network. Several teams have already clinched playoff spots and the stretch-run will be a lot about positioning yourself for a good seed and a playoff push towards Heinz Field. This week in Big Game Hunting we get the rarest of the rare, as a pair of number ones will square off in Imperial. A tip of the cap to South Fayette quarterback Brett Brumbaugh from BGH and after spending a Friday night at Neil Brown Stadium a word on the Clairton Bears, and that word is …WOW!WPIAL Friday Night HighLights for 9/5
September 6, 2014
Here at MSA Sports, we like to spread the wealth when it comes to shining our spotlight. It seems some players shine for top teams each and every week. Sure, we will acknowledge their greatness, but we also like to tip our cap to those players and teams that are not steady contributors in each week to the 'W' column around the WPIAL. When they do, we want to salute high and proud. So without further adieu, we shine on the brightest performance from Week Two. Ben DiNucci - Pine-RichlandCTK ’14: WPIAL AAAA Foothills Conference Preview
August 12, 2014
The Gateway Gators have finished first or second in the Foothills Conference for six consecutive seasons. Don’t look for Gateway near the top of the conference this year. That’s because Gateway is no longer in the conference. The Gators dropped from Class AAAA to AAA for this season. The Foothills Conference, though, still has nine teams. Plum was moved from the Southeastern to the Foothills. McKeesport is the defending conference champion. The Tigers lost a number of key players, but still should be in the top of the conference. Many are pointing toward Penn-Trafford as the team to beat. Here is a look at the Foothills: ALTOONA MOUNTAIN LIONSWPIAL Plays of the Week – Week Eleven 2013
November 12, 2013
The Quarterfinals are in the books and now we hop back onto the Highway to Heinz for one last stop before reaching our destination. The Semifinals provide terrific matchups, but the Quarterfinals were not too shabby themselves. Let’s take a look back at Week Eleven, including a tribute to a non-WPIAL team that faced the toughest challenge of anyone.
